Beatrice Gormley is the author of many novels and biographies, for middle-grade readers. Her warm, lively presentation to school groups tells the story of how she became a writer. Along the way, she excites the children's interest in writing and reading, expands their knowledge about book writing and publishing, demonstrates effective storytelling, and illustrates reaching a goal through persistence. In the question and answer session, Beatrice guides the discussion to connect with the children's own struggles and joys in writing, to emphasize working hard to write well, and to show research methods.

Author's home: Westport, MA (South Coast)
Suggested audience: 3–6 grades
Maximum number of presentations per day: 4
Honorarium: $900.00 per day plus expenses